La Liga giants Atlético Madrid have entered the race to sign Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt at the end of the season.

The Netherlands international made headlines once again for de Godenzonen on Tuesday after providing a stellar performance in the club's 4-1 win over Real Madrid, dumping the reigning European out of the Champions League before the quarter-final stage for the first time in almost a decade.

Following De Ligt's performance just across the road at the Santiago Bernabéu, Marca report that Atlético are now prepared to rival the likes of Juventus and Barcelona in the race for his signature this summer.

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But Atléti aren't just interested in de Ligt due to his heroics against Real Madrid. Los Colchoneros are already preparing for the imminent departure of Diego Godín, who is expected to join Italian side Inter once his contract at the Wanda Metropolitano expires at the end of the season.

On top of that, Atlético Madrid are also resigned to losing their World Cup winning defender Lucas Hernandez to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

While a move to Bavaria hasn't been confirmed the same way that France teammate Benjamin Pavard's has, Bayern Munich's sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić insists that there is "nothing concrete" in place for Hernandez this summer.

When you thought your classmates could finish a group project without you but they completely f*** it up! 😡 pic.twitter.com/pZ9GYoIq9K

Atlético Madrid's sporting director Andrea Berta has been desperately trying to give the club a facelift by signing the likes of Thomas Lemar, Rodri and Gelson Martins within the last season, as well as promoting Nehuén Pérez to the senior squad.

But as they will be coming up against a handful of European giants who are either richer or have a greater pulling power in the transfer market, Atlético face an uphill battle to land De Ligt at the end of the season.

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